Methods and systems for dynamic coupon issuance

Abstract

Methods and systems for issuing targeted coupons with a network-based system is disclosed. For example, a system can include a targeting module, a coupon rules engine, a coupon generation engine, a coupon widget, and a checkout module. The targeting module can create a model for controlling coupon generation. The coupon rules engine can determine whether a user accessing the network-based system qualifies to receive a coupon based at least in part on application of the model created by the targeting module. The coupon generation engine can generate a coupon based on the coupon rules engine determining that the user qualifies to receive a coupon. The coupon widget can present the coupon to the user while the user is accessing the network-based system. Finally, the checkout module can apply the coupon to a purchase by the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of dynamically issuing coupons within a network-based system, the method comprising:
 identifying, using one or more processors within the network-based system, a user accessing the network-based system over a network using a remote computer system; 
 establishing a network-based user session based on the user accessing the network-based system; 
 determining, using the one or more processors while the user is accessing the network-based system and during the user session, whether the user qualifies to receive a coupon by using at least one of profile data or activity data associated with the user; 
 dynamically issuing a coupon to the user, using the one or more processors while the user is accessing the network-based system and during the user session, based on the determination that the user qualifies to receive the coupon; 
 displaying, in response to issuing the coupon to the user, a representation of the coupon within a portion of a display generated by the network-based system, the display transmitted by the network-based system for reception by the remote computer system, the displaying occurring during the user session; and 
 applying the coupon to a purchase by the user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising triggering coupon generation based on the determination that the user qualifies to receive the coupon. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the profile data includes one or more of the following:
 purchase history on the network-based system; 
 activity history on the network-based system; 
 demographic data; or 
 frequency of visits to the network-based system. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of claim wherein the activity data includes current activity on the network-based system. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the user qualifies to receive the coupon includes one or more of the following conditions:
 that the user purchased an item from a specified category; 
 that the user purchased an item over a specified price; 
 that the user used a coupon to purchase an item; 
 that a specified number of previous purchases were not made using a coupon; 
 that the user has made less than a specified number of purchases within a specified number of days; 
 that the user has redeemed less than a specified number of coupons within a specified number of days; 
 that the user has an outstanding payment to a merchant on the network-based system; or 
 that the user has a current bid on an auction listing within the network-based system. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the triggering coupon generation of the dynamically issued coupon creates a coupon that is unique to the user and is redeemable only by the user within the network-based system. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the user qualifies to receive the coupon includes:
 selecting the user as a member of a control group, wherein the control group is used to compare purchase behavior to users that received the coupon to determine how effective the coupon was in encouraging a purchase; and 
 inhibiting, based on selection as a member of the control group, issuing of the coupon to the user. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further including tracking subsequent activity of the user on the network-based system as part of the control group. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the user qualifies to receive the coupon includes verifying that the user is on a list of users pre-qualified to receive the coupon; and
 wherein the list of users pre-qualified to receive a coupon is created using one or more of the following: 
 purchase history on the network-based system; 
 activity history on the network-based system; 
 demographic data; or 
 frequency of visits by the user to the network-based system. 
 
     
     
       10. A method to deliver instantaneous targeted coupons within a network-based system, the method comprising:
 identifying, using one or more processors within the network-based system, a user interaction session between a user and the network-based system; 
 accessing profile data associated with the user; 
 tracking, using the one or more processors, activity of the user during the user interaction session; 
 analyzing, using the one or more processors, the profile data associated with the user and the activity of the user interacting with the network-based system; 
 triggering, using the one or more processors, generation of a unique coupon redeemable only by the user based on results of analyzing the profile data associated with the user and the activity of the user interacting with the network-based system; and 
 presenting, using the one or more processors, the unique coupon to the user during the user interaction session, the presenting including transmitting at least a portion of a display for reception by the user. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further including redeeming the unique coupon during a purchase by the user on the network-based system. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the network-based system includes network-based auction listings. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the triggering of the generation occurs based on the user losing an auction. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the triggering of the generation occurs based on the user making multiple bids on a single auction listing. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the triggering of the generation occurs based on the user purchasing a specified product. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the triggering of the generation occurs based on the user purchasing a product within a specified category. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the triggering of the generation occurs based on the user viewing a listing on the network-based system meeting a specified criterion. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the analyzing of the profile data associated with the user and the activity of the user interacting with the network-based system includes evaluation of a frequency of visits by the user to the network-based system. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the analyzing of the profile data associated with the user and the activity of the user interacting with the network-based system includes evaluation of purchase history associated with the user. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the analyzing of the profile data associated with the user and the activity of the user interacting with the network-based system includes evaluation of items viewed within the network-based system during the current user interaction session. 
     
     
       21. A computer-implemented system for issuing targeted coupons within a network-based system, the system comprising:
 a processor-implemented targeting module to create a model for controlling coupon generation; 
 a processor-implemented coupon rules engine to determine whether a user accessing the network-based system qualifies to receive a coupon based at least in part on application of the model created by the targeting module; 
 a processor-implemented coupon generation engine to generate a coupon during a session initiated when the user began accessing the network-based system and based on the coupon rules engine determining that the user qualifies to receive a coupon; 
 a coupon widget to present the coupon to the user while the user is accessing the network-based system and during the session; and 
 a processor-implemented checkout module to apply the coupon to a purchase by the user. 
 
     
     
       22. The computer-implemented system of  claim 21 , further comprising a database to store at least one of user profile data or user activity data; and
 wherein the coupon rules engine is to access the database to apply at least one of user profile data or user activity data associated with the user against the model created by the targeting module to determine whether the user should receive a coupon. 
 
     
     
       23. The computer-implemented system of  claim 22 , wherein the user profile data, stored in the database, includes one or more of the following:
 purchase history on the network-based system; 
 activity history on the network-based system; 
 demographic data; or 
 frequency of visits to the network-based system. 
 
     
     
       24. The computer-implemented system of  claim 21 , further comprising a processor-implemented monitoring module to monitor activity of the user while accessing the network-based system; and
 wherein the coupon rules engine is to use the monitored activity to determine whether the user accessing the network-based system qualifies to receive a coupon. 
 
     
     
       25. The computer-implemented system of  claim 21 , wherein the targeting module is to select one or more of the following conditions to create the model for determining when to generate a coupon:
 the user purchased an item from a specified category; 
 the user purchased an item over a specified price; 
 the user used a coupon to purchase an item; 
 a specified number of previous purchases were not made using a coupon; 
 the user has made less than a specified number of purchases within a specified number of days; 
 the user has redeemed less than a specified number of coupons within a specified number of days; 
 the user has any outstanding payments to merchants on the network-based system; or 
 the user has any live bids on auction listings within the network-based system. 
 
     
     
       26. The computer-implemented system of  claim 21 , wherein the coupon generation engine is further to generate a unique coupon redeemable only by the user. 
     
     
       27. The computer-implemented system of  claim 21 , wherein the coupon rules engine is further to:
 select the user as a member of a control group, wherein the control group is used to compare purchase behavior to users that received the coupon to determine how effective the coupon was in encouraging a purchase; and 
 inhibit the coupon generation engine from generating a coupon for the user. 
 
     
     
       28. The computer-implemented system of  claim 27 , further including an application server to track subsequent activity by the user on the network-based system for a specified time period and log the activity as part of the control group. 
     
     
       29. The computer-implemented system of  claim 21 , further including a database to store information on all registered users of the network-based system;
 wherein the targeting module is further to create a list of users pre-qualified to receive a coupon; and 
 wherein the coupon rules engine is further to validate that the user is on the list of users pre-qualified to receive a coupon in determining whether the user should receive a coupon. 
 
     
     
       30. The computer-implemented system of  claim 29 , wherein the targeting module is to create the list of users pre-qualified to receive a coupon by using one or more of the following,
 purchase history on the network-based system; 
 activity history on the network-based system; 
 demographic data; or 
 frequency of visits to the network-based system.